. >> warren buffett could pay off the deficit he wanted to. but it is to be that a deal will happen after january 1. does that make any difference? >> yes, it does. i think some of all this panic is a little bit overwrought. if they don't reach a deal in the next 22 hours or so, then we go into january, and the stakes get so much higher. as you said, people will start feeling immediately the effect of those higher taxes. and that will put the pressure on the congress and president reach a deal. if they don't reach a deal on december 31, which is my prediction, i believe sometime before the end of january, they will reach a deal. but my goodness. one of the things that is frustrating is we have known this day was coming for the last two years. yet here we are, 72 hours away and we don't have a resolution. gregg: this is a contrivance that they are desperately trying to fix. our member the president said in a debate, the debate, he said that i didn't come up with this. then bob woodward came out and said, yes, you did. you know, both a top aide